Perfect Plans
by DavidAlatriste
Summary: Azula's ascention to a self-made throne


**Knight** \- This piece is the only piece that can jump over other pieces and moves three spaces in an L shape every time. **Task** : Write about someone who is willing to jump over others to get what they want.

Prompts:"You can't rush these things", Fire Nation Capital and A Poison Tree by William Blake

Word Count: 1,032

I was never one for poetry, yet, that poem my mother made me learn when I burned that classmate because she mocked my hair-do in 3rd grade could have never been any truer after what I've been through in the years.

 _I was angry with my friend;_

 _I told my wrath, my wrath did end._

 _I was angry with my foe:_

 _I told it not, my wrath did grow._

After her betrayal, could I have been any angrier at Ty Lee? I think not. That might have been what actually made me lose it in the first place, but after Zuzu set me free, or should I say I just left without his consent, in his quest to rejoin with mother, I came back to my senses and was able to find my way out after a while.

Years had passed and the world had made its heroes and villains and, of course, Zuzu made sure I was amongst the latter, but such pitiful things didn't bothered me. The throne could be his for all I cared. What I wanted required more time than any throne could allow me to have.

During my time chasing the Avatar and his friends, I realized that it wasn't great armies or great generals who won wars; men won wars and generals took the glory. I would not be a man who won wars but a general. I would lead my men and I would get the glory, myself, with my own means.

The world believed me dead, or maybe just wished, and I could have lived with that except for a few small things I wouldn't detach myself of; fortunately, my brother had scattered father's supporters far enough so I could just show up and one by one gather them under my command.

I would not have the throne, but I would undermine its power and my father's supporters either agreed to help or perished under my firebending.

 _And I watered it in fears,_

 _Night & morning with my tears: _

_And I sunned it with smiles,_

 _And with soft deceitful wiles._

It was bitter work, it took years before I could focus on my private affairs rather than the general goal; not because it was hard to expand but because betrayals and ambition were so present that I could feel a relapse to my previous state just around the corner at moments. It almost made it futile that I had my base of operations in the Fire Nation Capital, right under my brother's nose, since I had to go out of town so often. I was trained a warrior, and warriors attack and conquer, but for this…this kingdom of mine; deceit and fear had to be considered. And so they were, such factors to take into account were what earned me my power with the years more than the hard work of conquering territories and taking over others businesses.

Years passed and my power began to take its form, it's roots deep and powerful and it's fruit profitable and exquisite, yet things were missing still, my old life never truly away. It all was necessary, you can't rush these things, after all. You either do it right or it will all be for nothing

 _And it grew both day and night._

 _Till it bore an apple bright._

 _And my foe beheld it shine,_

 _And he knew that it was mine._

I have always known that the established authorities would chase me, myth or not, there had to be someone in charge of it all. Only the Fire Nation authorities, obviously them, noticed the distinctive traits of my activities; my men's discipline, efficiency and the general strategy, which we followed, helped us grow.

I heard Zuzu was briefed at one point and when that grief got too big to hide he agreed there could be no other explanation than the one he was offered. Only I could've done this and only I had to be feared. It was so good to be back in his world.

He left the throne to his daughter and dedicated himself to chasing me and to help with the efforts of his not-so-recently passed friend. The chase lasted for years, even as old as we were at that point, chasing my organization and me. He never truly stopped us regardless of his small victories. He never truly grasped what we could do.

 _And into my garden stole,_

 _When the night had veild the pole;_

 _In the morning glad I see;_

 _My foe outstretched beneath the tree._

Another Avatar, another half-baked kid with too much power in its hands, came into picture. Not that great a threat as far as I was concerned, just small things here and there and at one point her doings helped me quite a great deal. Those 4 years of chaos as that military dictator consolidated were really great for business.

I respected her, I'll admit it, I respected this Kuvira woman and her ability to consolidate the Earth Kingdom after all that chaos, but she let herself be guided by ambition rather than by logic, and in the end that ambition was her downfall.

Zuko remained occupied chasing my trail, even when Ty and I were reunited, he was clueless. That new spirit portal showed him the new generation would have to deal with me.

So he went home, and after all those years of plotting and planning I had him; I had my revenge on Zuko, that last night in the palace, as I poisoned him and watched him fade away. It was worth becoming queen of the underground world, the power it gave me was immense. I could've taken the throne if I had wanted it, his daughter slept down the hallway and her son would not be able to get home soon enough, but as Zuzu had realized: It was the new generation's time to take charge.

I decided to just make my empire a lasting one by choosing a worthy successor that would continue my empire and then, I decided to live what time I had left in relative peace, along with my share of the past.


End file.
